Hands up everyone who's doing drugs!

[naomi_jay]

I just found this article by Robert Winston about creative block (jncluding writers' block). Lots of interesting stuff there about musicians gassing themselves, but obviously I'm more interested in the writerly bit. I've been pretty open about the fact that I've suffered from depression, and how much I hate this idea that misery equals great creativity*, so I like that Winston notes so many of these composers and writers did not produce their best work during periods of depression. Rather, they struggled through the depression caused by lack of inspiration in order to create.**

I'm not sure how I feel about writers' block; whether it really exists, or whether it's a convenient excuse for not working. I definitely have days when I don't want to write, or can't think of anything to write, but if I make myself do it, I usually get in the swing eventually. I can't remember who said it, but I'm a firm believer in the idea that "you can edit anything except a blank page." In other words, even if you've got 10 pages of crap, that's still 10 pages, right?

On the other hand, I struggled horribly with the original sequel to SILVER KISS, BAD DOGS. Every time I opened the document up to work on it, I became more and more convinced it was utter tripe and would never be as good as SILVER KISS. In the end I was afraid to try to work on it. So I scrapped it, started BLOOD HUNT and found I was much happier. Was that writers' block, or just the wrong project at the wrong time? Or just rampant neuroticism on my part?

What do other people think? Writers, do you get writers' block? Non-writers, do you believe in it, or are we all just a bunch of wangsty emo kids who should shut up and get back to work?

*If I could imprint one message upon humanity's collective unconsciousness, it would be that depression and art are not the same thing. You do not have to be some tortured, maudlin, absinthe-swigger to produce works of beauty. Being creative does not automatically make you some darkity-dark Byronic figure, okay?

**Probably worth noting that one of the commentors on this article notes that his best work comes when he's unhappy.

Comments

[acidamoeba.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I believe writer's block exists per se, but I do know from personal experiece that external factors (stress, real life situations and other disturbances) contribite to pulling the mind frpm the writing. I also think that if you go and go and go without taking a break,idea's will just dry up- and I know self-doubt and low self esteem impact deeply on that - personal experience again.

I went through three years of constant start-stops and despising every word I typed until I just didn't write anything at all, and I think the only way to "cure" the block is to walk away, be it for a day or a year or more, and not put pressue on yourself fo finish.

In three years I changed as a person and when I finally had the confidance and sat back in my computer chair, I had a different mind set and fresh eyes and now I'm writing 2000-3000 words a day on several different projects and if I hit a bump in one, I switch to another and let my subconscious bubble away in the background.

This is just personal experience and opinion. Obviously, what worked for me might not work for another.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

That's awesomely cool :) And yeah, I guess it's down to personality and how you handle stress and difficulty.